Lawyers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for lawyers in the U.S. is $159,670 ($76.76 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $159,670
- Mean annual wage
- $185,840
- Median hourly wage
- $76.76
- Employment
- 754,500
754,500 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,360 | $37.67 |
| 25th percentile | $102,990 | $49.51 |
| Median (50th) | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| 75th percentile | $221,370 | $106.43 |
| 90th percentile | $351,600 | $169.04 |
Highest-paying states for lawyers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $207,860 | 91,870 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | 33,070 |
| California | $195,080 | 95,770 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | 23,560 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | 2,920 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | 16,720 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | 18,580 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | 23,160 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | 33,590 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $91,690 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $98,880 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $100,130 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $101,550 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $102,040 median annual wage
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.